


Far

by youtomyme



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean's not yet 18 so I guess that could count as an underage kiss, Human AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-27
Updated: 2012-12-27
Packaged: 2017-11-22 15:28:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/611329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youtomyme/pseuds/youtomyme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean's not very happy that his best friend Gabriel has to go away to college.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Far

**Author's Note:**

> For dragonmuse at Tumblr for Christmas.

A lot of people made the mistake of assuming that Dean's best friend was Castiel because at school, he was seldom seen without the youngest Milton child. In reality, Dean's best friend was the second-eldest Milton child, Gabriel. He just didn't have much opportunity to hang out with him, because they were both in different years and had different schedules. 

But the thing was, Gabriel had always been _near_. Just a few doors down. Oh, Gabriel's at the library doing homework. He said he'd wait for you at the park around the corner. He's at the mall getting your birthday present, don't go after him.

Dean always knew where Gabriel was, and that had never been far. 

Not like this. Not off to college, where Dean couldn't follow. Not off making new friends and seeing new places without Dean. 

'I'll call every day,' Gabriel promised. 'I'll call so often, you'll get sick of me.'

'You don't have to,' Dean said, rolling his eyes. 'I'm not a baby.'

But Gabriel knew he _would_ , or Dean would be lonely. He hugged him tight - Dean had shot right above him during the holidays and was now a good three inches taller than him, would probably grow even more - and then when they broke apart, ruffled his hair. 

'See you.'

Dean nodded, desperately trying to look nonchalant. 

Most boys texted their girlfriends from the next school over during breaks. Dean texted his best friend at college. Nobody ever dreamed of reaching him at night time, because he'd be busy chatting to Gabriel. 

'Get off the phone, son!' John yelled at the door. 'Who do you think is paying that bill?!'

'Leave him alone, John,' Mary said placatingly. 'He misses Gabriel.'

'He should man up! Why doesn't he go and get a girlfriend like the other boys?'

Mary glared, then gestured to the master bedroom silently. Once John was inside, Mary explained that Dean didn't want a girlfriend, because he had Gabriel. When John understood this, he gave her a funny look, and then his reprimands to Dean about the phone bill became milder. 

-

'Hey, Dean!'

'Hi Gabe. You sound excited.'

'Hells yeah, I am! Guess what happened today!'

'Your worst professor broke his ankle and you won't have class for a month.'

'Oh if only, Dean. But nah. Remember Mia?'

'Yep.'

'Well she's my girlfriend now!'

There was such a long silence on Dean's end, Gabriel anxiously said 'Dean? You still there?'

'Yeah,' said Dean, swallowing down a lump in his throat. 'Sorry. That's great, Gabe. Tell her if she ever hurts you, I'll punch her nose in.'

'You wouldn't hit a girl!' said Gabriel with mock horror. 

'Oh yeah I would, if it's a girl who's hurt either you or Sammy. I bet she's great, Gabriel. I can't wait to meet her.'

'Dean, have I ever told you how much I love and treasure you?'

'You know you mean the world to me too, baby.' Dean's voice broke towards the end of the sentence, and he coughed loudly to cover it up. 

Even mothers get things wrong about their sons, and what Mary didn't know about Dean was that he had come to terms with his feelings for Gabriel somewhere around a week after Gabriel had gone for college. He got it. He was in love with his best friend, probably had been for years. 

But he'd always known he wasn't good enough for Gabriel. And that Gabriel was straight. Dean didn't have a chance. Still, he'd clung to that hope because he _liked Gabriel so damn much_. But he hadn't been lying when he said he was happy for Gabriel. He was. That was part and parcel of being in love, he was sure of it. 

Gabriel came back for Christmas. Dean hated himself for being relieved when he clambered out of the car alone. 

Dean leaned against the front doorway, pretending that he wasn't excited about Gabriel's return. But Gabriel was having none of it; he didn't stop to yell hello at his family before he'd crushed Dean's shoulders in a hug. 

'Hey, kid,' Gabriel said into his ear. 'I missed you.'

'Missed you too,' Dean muttered, hugging back. He was touched by the display of affection, although he was reminding himself that it probably meant nothing. 

'How are you so tall?!' Gabriel shouted once he stepped back. 

'I'm only a year younger than you,' Dean said defensively. 'I'm going to college next year, too.'

'Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just don't go to the same one as me or you'll snatch up all the pretty girls.'

Dean tried to laugh, but couldn't quite manage it. Gabriel didn't seem to notice, and pressed his car keys into Dean's hand. 

'Everyone's presents are in the car, don't let them get to them,' he said with a wink. 

They spent the rest of the day on the couch, pretending to watch sitcoms while in reality talking as if they hadn't spent every night of the past few months doing just that. Gabriel's and Dean's brothers dropped by to say 'hello' at intervals. Mostly, the two were wrapped up in their own world. 

The next few days were spent visiting Gabriel's old acquaintances and hang-outs, but always together. Eventually, Dean got around to asking 'How's Mia?'

'No idea,' said Gabriel absently. 'She broke up with me.'

'What?' said Dean a little too loudly. Luckily, they were in the park, and shouting was expected. 

'It's fine. She was kind of vapid and boring once you got past the fact that she's supposed to be a literature major.'

'Oh.' Dean wanted to reach out and maybe squeeze his hand, but this seemed a little too intimate, so he bumped shoulders with him instead, and Gabriel smiled at him. 

Christmas came with a blanket of snow. Dean woke up at the crack of dawn, chucked the covers, and pausing only to pull on pants and a jacket, he rushed out in boots, yelling at Sam and Adam to wake up and play. He wasn't in the least surprised to see Gabriel already downstairs and hurling snowballs at his brothers' room windows. 

'Merry Christmas, asshole!' Dean threw a snowball at the back of Gabriel's head in greeting. 

'Hi!' Gabriel launched snow at Dean's face. When Dean was done spitting out ice and wiping it from his eyes, he was startled to find Gabriel's face an inch away from his. 'Merry Christmas to you too, Dean,' he said softly. 

'Um,' said Dean intelligently, before Gabriel pressed their lips together. Gabriel's hands went up to either side of Dean's face, eyes fluttering close, and Dean's heart was thumping so loudly, he couldn't think, could just freeze and count Gabriel's eyelashes.

'Sorry,' Gabriel said, drawing away. He steadily avoided Dean's gaze and looked downwards. 'I couldn't find anything special enough to give you so I thought about coming up with something myself. Turns out it was kind of lame.'

'Of course it was lame!' Dean burst out, surprising Gabriel into looking up with hurt eyes. 'I've been crushing on you my whole life and you give me a five second kiss?! Couldn't you at least have waited until my brain started working again before you pulled away?!'

'Oh, is that the problem?' Gabriel said, the doubt clearing from his eyes like clouds after a rain. 'Sorry. Let's try again. Pretend that first kiss didn't happen.'

And then he kissed him again. This time, Dean was ready, and Gabriel fitted against him so well, it was all perfect.

(Right until they got bombarded on every side by snowballs from their brothers - but what else was Christmas about?)


End file.
